A Queen's Merlin Bird
by supernovachristian18
Summary: When they had found her in the woods unconscious and wounded, no one in Camelot was prepared for things to be changed and truths to be revealed unexpectedly. (Also on AO3)
1. Chapter 1

I have changed a few things up so this story works. Arthur is crown prince, Uther is alive and all of the Round Table Knights are alive and together. Morgana is alive and is still slightly good, but her heart darkens quickly. Lucy is 16, Arthur is 20, and Merlin is 18. The others don't matter. I will have an A/N if anything is added or changed.

 **(Also on Archive of Our Own)**

They had been on a hunting trip out in the Eastern Woods when they found the girl. Merlin, who had been lagging behind the rest of the knights, was the one to see her first. He had been fixing some of the supplies on the pack horse when he had turned slightly towards the forest. Behind some trees and bushes a piece of cloth had caught his attention. Normally that was not something that would have done so, except for the fabric was of a noticeably expensive fabric, one he had seen many times do to working as the Crown Prince's manservant for several years.

Merlin turned his head toward the rest of the group. Riding with Arthur were the Knights of the Round Table, all far ahead enough to not notice if he slipped away, but not far enough that he wouldn't be able to catch up with them if needed. Or shout if needed.

He slipped off his horse, patting it softly on the side as he led the brown colored beast over to a tree where he tied it to a stump. The horse munched contently on the grass near by as Merlin wandered back to the spot where he had seen the fabric.

It was a rich purple color and made of very fine silk. A design seemed to have been spun on it, but the tear cut right through the golden animal. He rubbed it between his fingers for a few seconds. Definetly silk.

A rustling and a quiet groan made Merlin's head snap up and over a little distance. A gasp escaped his mouth as he saw a dirty hand from behind a bushel of trees. It was a small hand. A very small hand. He stepped quietly but quickly toward where the hand was located. He crouched and waited a few seconds before looking around the edge to see who was lying there. Merlin's eyes went wide when he saw the figure and what she was wearing.

Back on the trail Arthur and the Knights were all laughing loudly about something.

"Isn't that right Merlin?" Arthur said. When no reply came he turned causing the others to do so as well. He was greeted with an empty road. "Merlin?" His blue eyes searched everywhere. "Merlin!" After receiving no reply, Arthur quickly turned his horse around and made his way back to where his manservant was last seen. Gwaine galloped past his Prince and his horse skidded as it slid to a stop where Merlin's own horse was tied.

"Arthur!" He called out while waving his arm. Riding a little faster now, the rest of the knights jumped off their own horses and looked at what Gwaine had seen. Merlin's horse was tied to a tree stump but there was no Merlin in sight. Arthur gave an irritated growl.

"Did he seriously just wander off? He does know we're on a time limit right?" Arthur huffed aloud, but was ultimately ignored by most of the knights as they pushed past the bushes and off the trail. It had rained pretty hard three days beforehand, so the ground was still quite soft. This proved useful for the men as a pair of boot tracks could be seen trailing away from the road and into the forest. Without much thought to any possible consequences, Gwaine went charging in. He needed to see that Merlin was okay.

The others followed behind him, with Elyan and Lancelot at the back of the group. They called out to Merlin as they walked, always with their hands hovering over their swords that sat around on their belts. For quite a few feet they heard nothing but silence until a voice called out to them.

"Hey guys! I need you to see this! She needs help!" Merlin sounded panicked, and that was all it took for the older men to go charging in his direction. However, when they saw Merlin on his knees and examining a still body, they slowed to a stop. It was a female of around 16 or 17 summers. Merlin looked up at Arthur.

"Arthur….look at what she's wearing." They did and at first nothing seemed too out of the ordinary until they _really_ took in what she was clothed with. She was wearing a deep purple dress with designs of golden animals around the hem. It was ripped in some places. Matching velvet shoes that were once purple, but were now dirty and covered in mud sat upon her feet. But that all wasn't what caught their eyes. Adorned upon her head sat a silver circlet fit for royalty. Which meant that this strange, young girl was of royal blood.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

It took a few moments for that information to settle into everyone's heads, but when it did, it sent the majority of them into a state of panic. Arthur kneeled down next to the girl and looked at Merlin as he pulled off his red cloak.

"How is she?" He asked. Merlin gave a quick rundown of any injuries he could see and what he knew.

"She mostly has scratches and bruises possibly from running through the woods but there are some injuries that are clearly man made." Merlin rolled up one of her sleeves to the elbow. A bruise the shape of a hand sat there. "There is another one on her other arm as well. But what worries me the most is left leg. It seems to have been rolled, possibly if she was running from something or someone and tripped. We need to get her back to Camelot so Gaius can do a more thorough inspection." Arthur nodded and called the rest of the still panicking knights over to him.

"Percival! Leon! Come over here and stabilize her body. We need to wrap her in a cloak. Gwaine and Elyan I need you to ride ahead towards Camelot and alert the King and find Gaius. Immediately!" The four nodded. Arthur turned to address Lancelot. "Get my horse ready. We will need to move quickly and I would prefer it if she rode with me." Lancelot replied with a quick, "Yes sire!" and they all set off to do what they were told. Percival and Leon each chose a spot around the girl and all four men quickly wrapped the foreign royal in their cloaks. Merlin made sure to stabilize her head in case something was wrong with her neck then gave the signal to Arthur to lift. Arthur counted down from three and when he got to one, they all lifted making sure to move slowly so they don't harm her more than she already had been.

They moved as close to the trail as they could before the sound of horse hooves on the forest floor greeted them. Lancelot jumped off of his horse in case he was needed. Lancelot traded places with Arthur before the prince mounted his horse. When he was seated in a comfortable position, the men lifted the girl in their arms. Carefully they placed her into Arthur's arms, Merlin making sure to angle her head into the crook of his arm. Her circlet amazingly stayed on her head the whole time. Her left shoe on the other hand did not. Lancelot picked up in a hurry and brushed off the mud before trying to fit it back on without causing her pain. With no success he just handed it to Arthur who held on in one of his hands.

In a matter of minutes everyone was ready to ride back to Camelot. With everything and everyone who was still there ready, the group took off and rode swiftly. They made it to the castle walls by midnight, with Arthur and Merlin riding forefront and the square soon afterwards. 20 minutes later, and the group had arrived at Gaius's makeshift med-bay. It had been a long day for all of them.


	3. Chapter 3

_**A/N: I forgot to mention that Lucy is the book version of herself, meaning she is golden haired and I think she has blue eyes. For the sake of the story, that will be her character description.**_

Chapter 3

 _The sound of harsh gasping breaths and cold feet running through the forest was loud in her ears. Scratches covered her arms and legs where they are exposed. A tree branch smacks her in the face, and she winces. Her dress snagged on a bush and she tugged it free as quickly as possible. Her crown titled upon her head as she ran and a dainty hand reached up to fix it, just as her ankle fell into a hole. A small scream escaped her mouth as her ankle rolled and she collapsed._

 _A sharp hiss escaped her mouth as she cradled her injured ankle and a burning in her eyes alerted to oncoming tears. She grew angry. She didn't have time to cry! Her ankle throbbed painfully in response to the slight shift she had made._

 _A shout from the direction she had been running from startled her to her feet once more and like a swift deer, she was running through the brush. However, a limp and a throb from her ankle made it harder to run and made her slower._

 _An arrow pierced the tree next to her head, and she ducked, a gasp escaping her mouth._ 'That was a little too close!' _She thought. Her ankle throbbed again and the girl knew she couldn't go on for much longer._

 _A sharp crack of a stick breaking came from a close distance. Too close. Time had run out. They were here._

The first sense that came to her as she laid in an endless see of black, was touch. She could feel under her hands a soft pelt and a mattress lay under her body. The second and third senses were smell and hearing. Wherever she was, it smelt like medicine and there was a noise of shuffling and bottles clinking from somewhere to her right. She shifted under the covers and was made aware of the many aches throughout her body. A quiet groan escaped her mouth.

As soon as she had released the sound all sound stopped and a series of footsteps hurried over to her bedside. A croaky voice called to her from above.

"My lady! It's good to see you're finally awake!" The girl opened her eyes, struggling slightly as they felt as heavy as stone. After adjusting to the blurriness, a human figure came into view. It was the figure of a man. He was older than she was used to seeing, wrinkles covering every part of his face and hair a silvery-white color. It fell to his shoulders and the man was dressed in a brown long tunic. Blue eyes stared from above her. Well, more like observed her. As she was taking in his features, so he did to her. The old man opened his mouth to speak again after a few silent seconds have passed.

"I need to ask you a few questions my lady, just to make sure their isn't any damage that I couldn't see originally." She nodded in ok and he began his questions.

"How old are you, my lady?" The girl thought for less than a second before answering. "16 summers." He nodded and moved onto the next question. He held up a couple fingers as he did so.

"Can you tell me how many fingers I'm holding up?"

"Three." She replied. The old man smiled. So far so good. The questions continued on like this, with the old man asking and the girl replying. He asked about her hair color, the date that she thought it was, and other simple things. Then the man got to the questions he (and everyone else that knew of her presence at the castle) wanted to know.

"My lady, there are only a few other questions I need to ask of you. I hope you don't mind, but I need to know your name and where you might've come from." The old man watched as the girl paused and a confused expression briefly crossed her face. Her eyes turned clouded as she searched her mind before finally her expression cleared once more.

"Lucy," She said. "My name is Lucy Pevensie. But my people call me Queen Lucy of Narnia. Who are you?"

The old man hid his surprise well as he smiled gently at her. When Merlin and some of the Round Table Knights had brought the girl in, they all thought she was the daughter of a governess, but to hear that she was a queen! That was surely a surprise! He replied to the waiting girl.

"My name is Gaius. I'm the Court Physician for the kingdom of Camelot."

It was a few hours later and Gaius stood in the king's chambers facing Uther as the king listened to the other man's report. He had left Lucy to recover from her smaller wounds, none of which she had seemed to notice or if she did, never said anything about.

"And you say she a queen?" Uther asked. The other man nodded straight faced. A frown covered the king's lips as he thought. He was housing a royal in his castle, one who he knew nothing about and had never heard of this " _Narnia"_ place. All he did know was that she was blond, blue eyed, 16 summers, a crown upon her head, and that she had carried a dagger and a strange vial upon her hip when they had found her. And now he knows her name. The fact that she was found wounded within his borders spells trouble and as soon as he had heard about the girl, Uther had sent out some more knights for patrol.

"Do we know anything else about her? Has she said anything else that could indicate whether she is a friend or foe to Camelot?" Gaius shook his in a negative. To be truthful, as soon as he had said what kingdom they were in, the girl had clammed up and become more guarded than a dragon guards it's gold. But of course he would never say such a thing to Uther.

With a sigh, Uther looked up only then realising that in his own thoughts that his gaze had dropped to the floor, a frown still marring his face. "Well, I guess we ought to do what a good kingdom should. Let me know when she wakes again as I would like to see her for myself and invite her dinner. We best be as unhostile as possible lest she see us as a threat and her people take defensive measures against us to retrieve their queen" Gaius nodded. That sounded like a good plan for now.

With a wave of Uther's hand, Gaius was given his leave and he shuffled out of the king's chambers and toward his apothecary once more. As he passed a large window the man stopped and looked out. It was a full moon night and the silver light covered the courtyard and turned the stone into silver-white columns. The shadows stretched like fingers across the stones, gripping and swallowing everything that stood in it's path. It was a beautiful sight, especially considering the clear skies.

Gaius enjoyed the scenery for a few more moments before continuing on his way. He was weary from working the night before to watch over his newest charge and make sure she was alright. He could already tell that it was going to be another night of sleeplessness. He was tired just from the thought.

 _Outside of the kingdom of Essetir's borders laid a large camp of people. Ten tents surrounded the clearing that they were in and a group of men sat surrounding a campfire. They were all waiting for word to arrive from the largest tent where their leader was in conference with someone. They had been waiting for roughly an hour when the lent's flap was lifted up and a man in a dark cloak stepped out. He looked out at the gathered men and smirked darkly._

" _The witch found her. She's in Camelot staying in the castle. Wounded currently but on the mend as we speak. The best part is that she's near the royal family and the man the druids call Emerys. We hit the pot of gold men!" Chuckles rose up from the gathered at their leader's words. The leader's dark eyes washed over the man again before he spoke once more._

" _Tomorrow morning, we ride to get our runaway prize back. And maybe along the way get a few extra prizes as well." Hoots and hollers rose up into the night and back in Camelot a shiver of dread rolled down the young queen's back._


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

It had been nearly three days since that hunting trip before Merlin heard anything about the strange woman that had been secluded away from the rest of the castle. The first night back, a screen had been set up around her bed and he wasn't allowed to go behind it to check on her and the second day he had gone back to find the girl gone. When Merlin had inquired why he was told that the girl had been moved to a proper guest room. Gaius wouldn't tell him where. In fact it was only by sheer luck that Merlin had learned anything at all after those two days.

Merlin was on his way back from Arthur's rooms with a basket of dirty clothes in hand and on his way to the laundry room when he had stumbled upon a couple maids gossiping in a corner. Before he could be seen, Merlin had hidden behind the wall and listened in. It was from that conversation that the young man had learned that the girl they had brought in was no daughter of a duchess, but a queen of some foreign kingdom, that Gaius had moved her to a guest room on the same level as the rest of the royal family, and that a friend of Gwen's had been assigned as her handmaid. She had only awoken twice since being here, both due to sleeping draughts from the physician and from still being exhausted from her "poor ordeal" the ladies had said.

When Merlin had heard, he had to take a moment to regain his thoughts. This was quite a development. One that Merlin knew from experience with other royals, never ended well. He would have to keep a closer eye on the queen. Merlin waited around the corner for another minute before stepping out and walking past the ladies who were still gossiping but had moved onto other subjects. He shifted the basket higher on his hip and gripped it tighter before it could slip. The ladies never noticed as he walked past.

Morgana stared into her large vanity mirror and glared at the bags hanging under her eyes. She could swear that they were taunting her with their ugliness. Lately her nightmares have been getting worse and more vivid each time and last night had been the fifth time in a row that she had awoken covered in sweat and gasping for breath.

Green eyes turned to her bedside table where an empty bottle sat shining in the sunlight that was breaking its way through her curtains. The sleeping draught had done nothing to relieve her of her dreams. Instead they seemed to make them worse. Stupid things.

With a sigh, Morgana stood from her vanity and moved over to her large closet. Her maid, Gwen, had left the room for a few minutes to attend to something in the kitchens. Morgana had yet to change into her clothes for the day and as she stood staring at her clothes, she realized just how helpless she is when it comes to dressing. She cast her gaze over each of her dresses carefully before deciding on a red dress. The dress was shoulder baring, but still covered enough that it wasn't inappropriate for someone of her station. The sleeves billowed down past her wrists and nearly to her fingertips. A thin golden belt with the royal crest at the front sat upon her hips.

Morgana surveyed the way the dress fit like a glove when put on and even twirled a little in the large mirror to see how the dress flared out. As she watched how the sunlight hit the dress a certain way, a stray thought crept up on her. ' _It looks like fire.'_ As she continued playing with the way the dress looked in the mirror, the door to her chambers opened and in walked Gwen.

"Morning Gwen!" Gwen smiled at her mistress and looked approvingly at the dress she wore. The dress was bought nearly four months ago, originally for a special occasion but it was never worn. To be honest, Gwen had completely forgotten about it.

"Good morning, Morgana." Gwen smiled before picking up her skirts and walking to the vanity. She grabbed a hairbrush and turned to Morgana who was making her way back to her previous spot on the chair. For the next few minutes the only sound that was heard in the bedroom was the sound of the brush pulling through dark hair. About three minutes passed before Gwen put the brush down and Morgana turned to her maid a question in her eyes.

"Gwen?" Morgana began. She paused as she tried to gather her thoughts. "Have you heard anything about the girl the knights brought in? The one from the forest?" Morgana had heard about the event only an hour after the girl had been brought in and taken to the infirmary. However, there has been no further word about her or who she was. For almost three days it had been entirely silent on that front. No one knew about her, or if they did they weren't talking.

Gwen hesitated. She _had_ heard some things but she wasn't sure if they were true or what she could repeat. Gwen bit her lip and studied her mistress's face before mentally nodding. It would be fine as long as no one found out that it was her who told the king's ward.

"Well, from I've heard through the grapevine, the girl is only 16 summers. Her name is Lucy but I am not aware of her surname. There isn't much that I've heard but my friend from the kitchens has been assigned her handmaiden." Gwen paused. There was one more thing she heard but she didn't know if that was too much info at the moment. Morgana watched as her friend debated with herself for a small bit before she urged her to continue.

"Well? What else is there? I can see that you want to say some more." Gwen blushed at being caught. The young woman came to a decision and opened her mouth to tell the last piece of information but was cut off. A knock at the door brought both of their attentions to the far side of the room.

"Come in." Morgana called. The large wooden door squeaked open and a young man stood there. He bowed his head at the women and spoke with his face turned toward the ground.

"The king requests your presence, Lady Morgana. He awaits you in the throne room." Morgana made a noise of confirmation and sent the boy away. When the door closed, Morgana turned toward her maid and looked at her. "We will finish this conversation when I come back. Until then, Gwen." Gwen bowed and left the room as Morgana stood and went to find a pair of shoes for the day.

The throne room was bright even without the candles lit. The sun was shining through the windows and the rays cast a warm golden glow over the three people in there. Morgana was only half surprised to see the third occupant. Arthur on the other hand was completely surprised. He wasn't told the king's ward would be there.

Both of them looked toward the king who stood beside his throne, a glass of wine in hand. When Uther had their attention he put it down and turned toward them once more. "I'm glad the two of you made it here in good time. I have much I need to discuss with you both."

It was Arthur who asked the next question. "About what?" Uther sat down on his throne before he answered. Morgana looked between the both of them, a strange feeling sitting in her chest. Morgana had a feeling she knew where this conversation was about to go.

"It's about our guest. It seems, there is more to her story than we thought." Morgana mentally nodded. Oh yeah, this was definitely going where she thought it was.

To say that she had a headache was an understatement. It sounded like someone had a hammer and was banging it against the side of her brain continuously and as hard as they could. She had been awake for only an hour and had spent most of that time in bed gaining her bearings. It was strange being in a new place with little to no memory of who she got there and to be honest with herself, Lucy was a little terrified. Dealing with people from other countries was always Edmund's thing so she doesn't have much experience with that. She only had what her brother taught her.

There's also the fact of _what_ country she was in. It was one of four countries her tutors has drilled into her and her siblings to be aware of. She had heard a great deal about Camelot and her rulers. Lucy has also heard about the law banning all things even remotely related to magic, something which her own country thrived upon. But it was what happened to those who broke it that really scared her. That's why when the physician, Gaius, told where she was, Lucy had clammed up. One thing she has learned from sitting in court is that the slightest mistake could have great consequences.

Lucy looked out of the window that she stood near, her arms crossed over her chest. It was a bright day and the sounds of the people drifted upwards and into the room. The sound of laughing children caused a smile to cross Lucy's face and she watched as they ran passed, a group of young boys chasing each other. The room she had woken up in faced the courtyard but it also had a view off to the side where a garden was hidden. It was a nice view.

A knocking sound at the door brought the young blonde out of her thoughts and she turned toward it. "Come in!" She called. The door opened while emitting a soft groan and a young girl stepped in. She looked to be around Lucy's age give or take a year, with brown hair.

"My Lady. The King has requested that you join him, his son and his ward for dinner tonight. I have been assigned as your handmaid while you are here." Lucy noticed that not once did the girl look up from the floor as she delivered her message.

"What is your name?" Lucy blinked. That wasn't what she had wanted to say at the moment, but it's too late now. The girl looked up and Lucy saw that she had grey colored eyes. "Katherine, My Lady." Katherine curtsied as she spoke her name and Lucy nodded.

"Well, Katherine. Please bring my reply to the King. Tell him that I would be honored to attend dinner with him and his family tonight." She nodded and turned to leave. Lucy suddenly remembered something and stopped her before the door closed.

"Oh! Katherine wait!" The door stopped and Lucy continued on. "Is there something that I could wear for tonight? My only dress is all ripped and muddy." Not to mention that she hasn't actually _seen_ it in several days. What she was currently wearing was a long tunic that Gaius had given her. Katherine replied with a nod.

"Something will be delivered to your rooms an hour before dinner and I will be helping you to change into them, My Lady." Lucy nodded and Katherine left the room, the door closing almost silently behind her.

Lucy turned toward the window once more, arms still crossed and gazed out at the courtyard below. It was only midday, so she had a while before dinner. ' _What to do, what to do.'_ Lucy thought. She sighed. She'll figure something out to do while she waited.

A/N: Sorry for any typos that I may have missed. Tell me what you think about this chapter! Until next time!


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Lucy had found a book an hour after Katherine left, and when the dress arrived as promised to her room, she was deeply involved in it. The story was about a princess who was incredibly smart and longed for adventure across the seas, however, a love triangle between a prince from another place and a stable boy kept her rooted in her home kingdom. To be honest the love triangle was the least interesting part of the story.

A coughing from in front of her clued Lucy in that she wasn't alone anymore. Blue eyes looked up from the book to see Katherine holding a folded piece of cloth and shoes. The cloth was a pretty purple color from what she could see and the shoes were matching, almost the same color but a few shades lighter. Lucy stood carefully from her chair seeing as her ankle was still injured and some of the bruises began throbbing. Kathrine walked over to the bed and laid the cloths down before turning toward the young girl.

"I hope you don't mind, my lady, but I had to borrow a dress from the Lady Morgana since we haven't gotten your measurements yet." Lucy indicated that it was fine and limped her way behind the changing screen located on the other side of the room. It was a decently sized structure, taller than Lucy at the least. It actually dwarfed her by a couple of feet.

As Lucy began to take off the outer layers of her current clothing, Katherine untangled the dress and its layers, smoothing out any wrinkles that appeared. After ensuring there were no more wrinkles, Katherine stood and walked behind the changing screen to help with the final layer of Gaius' tunic. The dress quickly came next, all of this in silence.

In only a few minutes the changing process was over and Lucy was seated at the vanity, Katherine brushing her hair and putting it in an elegant updo. As she sat there, Lucy's blue eyes cast their gaze toward her crown. It sat on the vanity table, a pillow under it, gleaming innocently in the sunlight. Beside it was her dagger and cordial. The first time she had been awake long enough to comprehend things, the thought crossed her mind of how easily they had stayed on. You would think the crown would've fallen off at the least. But, nope.

The jingle of jewelry captured Lucy's attention and she watched attentively in the mirror as a beautiful necklace was lowered around her neck. It was made with delicate silver metal, each line creating swirls, many of which held purple gems. Amethysts of the darkest purple hung in between some of the swirls and as the light from the fading sun caught them, they sparkled brightly. The necklace was cold against her skin, and Lucy fought off a shiver as it skittered up her spine. She looked inquiringly at Katherine, wondering where the necklace had come from. Katherine caught her eye in the mirror and smiled understandingly.

"It originally belonged to Lady Morgana, just like the dress, but I was told to pass along her message. She says to keep the necklace, as a welcoming gift." Lucy smiled at Katherine.

"Well then, please tell her I accept and that the necklace is beyond beautiful. And that I said thank you." She almost forgot her manners for a second. Susan would've been appalled. Lucy saddened at the thought. She wondered what was happening in Narnia and what her siblings were doing at this moment. If they were missing her. If they were trying to find her. If they even knew she was gone. An ache settled into her chest, near her heart. It sat there pulsing like a constant reminder of her situation.

The weight of her crown settling upon her head drew her attention to Katherine, who was now stepping back from the teenager. The room had been darkened as the sun was now almost completely behind the horizon.

"It's time for dinner my lady. Allow me to escort you." Lucy nodded and stood from the cushiony settee and put on the shoes given to her. The door creaked open and Lucy stepped out of the bedroom, following her given maid toward the dining room.

* * *

The walk to the dining room was spent watching the castle staff as they walked by. Many of the servants stared in fascination for a few seconds before catching themselves and bowing. The guards that roamed the hallways would immediately step to the side, allow Katherine and Lucy to pass, and then continue on their way, never sparing a second glance at the two girls. _Interesting,_ Lucy thought. Clearly, the staff knew something, but only the servants knew the majority of it. By now the moon was on its path up into the sky, so the halls were only lit with the numerous candles and sconces on the walls.

Their footsteps bounced off the cobble and stones creating an echoing effect. It was the only sound that they made. There was a slight chill in the air and Lucy watched in the corner of her eye as Katherine shivered slightly. The long sleeves on her dress kept her quite warm but the servant girl had half sleeves. Lucy felt bad that she was warm while the other girl wasn't.

The arrival to the dining room was sudden and Lucy had to force herself to stop walking before she walked into the large door. She was so focused on everything but the walk that suddenly stopping before the area startled her more than she cared to admit. Katherine turned toward Lucy and curtsied, face towards the ground.

"We have arrived My Lady. I will be leaving you now. Someone else will be taking care of you for dinner and then I will be retrieving you afterward. I hope you have a good night." Lucy thanked the other girl watching as she walked away. Lucy took a deep breath to steady herself and faced the door, staring with focused intensity and a feeling of apprehension as a pair of guards opened the doors and led her in.

* * *

Merlin watched as the door to the room opened and a girl stepped in. She was standing tall, her chin in the air and eyes keen on everything in the room. She gave off an air of regality, poised for anything, but still held an air of respect as she met the eyes of Uther. The king beckoned her in farther and everyone watched as she practically glided across the floor although Merlin noticed a slight limp to her step, probably from her injured leg. As soon as she came within close contact of the table she swept herself into a curtsey, making sure her body was facing the three people sitting at the table. Uther, Morgana, and Arthur each stood in their chairs in greeting.

"Welcome! Please, come and sit down. There is much to discuss tonight." The girl stood straight and smiled at Uther, taking the invitation and sitting down along with the others. For a second the table was quiet aside from the sound of shifting and the other servants moving about to get her situated. Then Uther spoke from his end of the table.

"I hope everything it too your liking so far. I am sorry I haven't had a chance to introduce myself more formally since your arrival." Lucy smiled softly, her eyes level with the kings.

"Everything is perfect for such short notice. I wish to thank you for your hospitality and for allowing me to intrude into your kingdom unannounced. I know it is not easy to house a stranger in your home." Merlin couldn't help but notice how soft her voice was. Not soft like she was speaking quietly but soft as if silk was passing over his ears. It slightly weirded him out and he shifted just slightly closer to Arthur in case she was trying something bad.

Uther smiled. She was young but the king had to admit that she knew her foreign politics manners well. Uther waved his arm, giving permission for the others at the table to begin eating. "You are welcome. We are honored to have you here no matter how unexpected it is." Lucy smiled again before she turned her attention toward Morgana who sat on her left and Arthur who sat on the other side of the table and to the King's right. Uther introduced the two to the young girl. "This is my ward, Morgana and my son, Arthur."

Lucy nodded to each, in turn, a smile still gracing her face. She picked up her fork and looked at the food that sat on her plate. There were several vegetables and fruits and a small chicken took up one part of the plate. The rest of the table looked like it was housing a miniature feast and it was quiet for a moment. She didn't know what to say to the people around her and instead began to eat. She hadn't eaten anything substantial in a few days, not since before...before… Lucy couldn't finish the thought.

A small clinking from the head of the table drew her attention to King Uther once more. Uther set down his goblet of wine, making sure to dab his mouth free of any droplets before he began speaking again. "If I may ask Queen Lucy, may I, _we,_ know more about you? I'm afraid I don't know much about where you hail from." Merlin looked over at Uther first, noticing the way he sat. He was sitting back straight, but he was also leaning just slightly forwards. His blue eyes moved to Lucy and watched her reactions.

Lucy paused, just for a second. She had been expecting the question or something along the same lines. You never house a stranger without getting to know something about them. Lucy finished swallowing from her own goblet, only it was filled with water instead of wine, and put it down with a quiet noise.

"You may, my Lord. However, you must understand that there are somethings I cannot answer. I myself don't know much about you or your kingdom, so I am unsure still if you are friend or foe." Merlin's eyebrows raised slightly. She was quite blunt and he didn't expect that from her. It seemed Uther didn't either, but he understood. When deciding who to trust you must give only the base information and go from there. Arthur nearly choked on his own drink and had to take a moment to collect himself. Morgana, on the other hand, gave the girl a quick appraisal. She had not expected the girl to talk to another ruler so bluntly, especially since she knew nothing about them.

Uther nodded his head. "Alright," he said, "Which questions would you prefer me not to ask?" Arthur and Morgana looked over at the king, not expecting him to be so civil with the bluntness from a foreign queen. Even Merlin was stunned when he couldn't trace any ill will toward the young girl. Lucy leaned back in her chair slightly, and picked up her goblet, taking a quick sip before answering.

"I would prefer not to ask any questions about my kingdom that would pertain to my people, armies, or where I come from. You may ask my country's name and the rest of the basics, but I wish to keep questions about homeland to a minimum." She paused and then as if in afterthought added, "For my people's safety of course."

"Of course," Uther replied. He was a king and knew quite well that the people came before all else. Merlin narrowed his eyes slightly at the girl. He wanted to know why she would avoid answering questions about her people, and why she seemed so tense when talking about them.

Uther tore a piece of bird from the plate with his utensils before he began his questioning. "Since I am allowed to ask about your country's name I shall begin with that." Lucy also continued to eat, everyone else watching from the sidelines.

"I come from a place called Narnia."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

The name was completely unfamiliar to Merlin, and as he watched Arthur and Morgana, he could see that they had never heard of this place before either. Uther gave no indication if he knew the name or not. The little queen continued on as if no one was there.

"It is a small country, that much I will tell you, but she is mightier than most swords. We have many people of all kinds, and we are happy. My siblings and I have managed to keep Narnia in a time of peace since we began our rule." Lucy paused to take a drink as Uther took this chance to ask a question.

"Siblings?" The others had noticed this bit of information as well. Lucy nodded.

"I am the youngest of four siblings. I have two brothers and a sister." In the quiet silence that followed, the silent 'I miss them' was as loud as the warning bells in the citadel. Lucy shook herself back into focus as a sudden voice from her right occurred. Morgana's green eyes stared with a sparkle in them as she learned more about the little queen's family.

"The youngest of four? And you're still a ruler?" Lucy nodded slowly. It seems this family was a bit more observant than she expected.

"My siblings and I rule together peacefully. We each have our own things we work with when governing. I work directly with the people for instance. I hear their grievances, their hopes, their fears, and everything in between. My sister has her hand in dealing with parties and gaining intelligence from social situations. My eldest brother, the High King, is the one who rides out to the battle lines when neighboring kingdoms get restless and eager for a fight, and my final sibling is the politician. He's very good at keeping peace with other countries and writing up treaties. Our kingdom runs well and not one of us becomes overwhelmed when something happens." Lucy's heart ached as she thought about her siblings and her kingdom. "We live in a time of peace, my siblings and I."

The dining room was quiet as everyone thought about it. To Arthur and Morgana, this young queen had managed to become one of the best leaders they had ever heard of (even if they hadn't really heard of her until now.) To Merlin, she suddenly became less of a threat but had become very interesting in those few moments. To the servants who eavesdropped on the royals, she was an inspiration, and one many secretly thought that Uther himself should follow. To Uther himself, the young girl told him more than she knew. Now he knows more about her country than she had intended to give away and if needed he could use it as an advantage against this "Narnia" should they decide to try and overpower his kingdom and his rule.

Dinner resumed after a moment of contemplative silence and the conversation turned to mundane small talk, soon causing everyone not directly involved to lose interest. And so, the night went by, lasting long into the night even as the midnight bells tolled.

* * *

 _The forest was quiet around them. No birds hooted, no crickets chirped, and no howls from far away dogs sounded into the still air. It was cold tonight, much colder than it had been the last few nights. It felt wonderful on their skin as they trekked through the underbrush. They had been walking for a couple days and nights by now, but no matter how tired they were, the men felt a sense of sadistic satisfaction as they moved in closer to their targets. The group had been tracking them for a while now. The tension was palpable in the air, so thick that even the dogs were beginning to feel it._

 _It had been many nights since the ambush had occurred and now, they were out for blood. They wanted their precious person back even if it was the last thing they had to do. They moved in closer, farther and farther into the center of the woods, until they could see the flickers of firelight through the trees. Sharp grins crossed over mouths and the men got ready. In the very front a blonde in no armor but leather padding stood at the ready. His hand was on his sword, ready to draw at a moment's notice. For a minute all was silent as the men in the woods watched the people in the camp, as they laughed loudly with no cares._

 _Only a single movement signaled to the men, and the knights of Cair Paravel descended on the slave traders. The men near the fire never even saw it coming. In moments, the knights were victorious, and the men subdued. The blonde came forward into the light and as his face was lit, one of the traders started to laugh._

 _"Well look who decided to show up!" he said. "It seems one of our lost sheep has a wolf who has come to take her back!" the man laughed even more as anger began to cloud the blonde's face. King Peter, let a snarl cross his lips as he walked closer to the leader of the group. His hands shot out quickly and grabbed the man, twisting his fists into the man's shirt, and pulling the trader close to his face._

 _"Where is she?" Peter's voice was quiet, barely audible for most to hear, but the slave trader heard perfectly and started to laugh again. Peter shook him. "Where is she?!" He asked again but this time louder._

 _"Not here little wolf. Your lost sheep has found her way somewhere she will never be able to get out of. Such a shame too. She was a delicate little thing." Peter's face darkened before he dropped the man to the ground. Not here? Then where was she? They had had no information that the kidnapped were moved. Peter growled in frustration and turned to his nearest knight._

 _"Lock these men up and get ready to transport them to the cells," He ordered. Peter stalked off, fuming, back to his horse. He **will** find her. He will!_

* * *

The day after the dinner was uneventful, so Lucy spent her entire morning in her rooms, finishing that book and enjoying the sunlight. Her bumps and bruises were healing nicely and her ankle had even stopped hurting. The swelling was beginning to go down, and Lucy couldn't wait until she could get up and move around. Lunch came and went, Katherine bringing it in on a try and clearing it away when the times called for it.

Lucy finished her book around the time when the sun began to set. She looked out the window and over the courtyard. It was beginning to quiet down now, or at least as much as it can. Shops were now closing up and the people were making their ways home. A flicker of movement over to the side of the courtyard brought her attention to a shadow. It was human shaped and even looked vaguely familiar with its lankiness. With a start, Lucy realized that she did recognize the shadow. It was Merlin, skulking around.

What in Aslan's name was he doing? He looked like a crook from the way he was walking around. As she watched him, a sudden thought occurred. Didn't a rumor she had heard in passing say that he was not only the Prince's manservant but also the apprentice for the Court Physician? Maybe that's what he was doing. His job. Lucy watched him a little bit longer until he had moved out of her sight. He was a strange one that's for sure. But Lucy couldn't help but remember the twinge in her chest from dinner, the few times she had caught a glimpse of Merlin. It felt like she was coming home and it made her slightly sad. A strange one indeed.

* * *

I'm sorry for the short chapter, but massive writer's block has kept me from writing for over a year. Hopefully I will be getting back in the groove once again with this chapter out.


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